


Falling in Love and Breaking a Heart: An Analysis

by gladdecease



Category: Naruto
Genre: Bad Decisions, F/M, Relationship of Convenience, Romance, Star-crossed, unnecessary angst, unnecessary drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-05-17
Updated: 2007-05-17
Packaged: 2017-10-17 04:25:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/172882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gladdecease/pseuds/gladdecease
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neji is in love with Tenten. This can't end well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling in Love and Breaking a Heart: An Analysis

**Author's Note:**

  * For [neopuff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/neopuff/gifts).



So, one day, Shikamaru and Temari are taking a walk. Temari's in Konoha because of an exam that took place three months ago, and Shikamaru's just _accompanying_ her while she gets ready to go home, like she has been for the last two weeks.

It's _not_ a _date_. Temari doesn't like lazy men like Shikamaru. And Shikamaru doesn't like bossy women like Temari. It wouldn't work.

That's what he tells himself, at least.

That's what she tells herself, at least.

That's what they tell each other.

That's what they tell themselves.

...but then there are times, when Shikamaru has _accompanied_ Temari to the dango shop, and she's just sitting next to him, her hand on the table, when he wants to lift his hand and put it on hers. Maybe thread his fingers between hers. He thinks, maybe, that might feel nice.

But then he catches himself, and Temari wonders why he's being so cold to her for the rest of the day.

...and there are times, when Shikamaru's cracked a wry joke after a long day of brooding, and Temari smiles up at him ( _up_ at him - that's still a new sensation), and thinks that she wants to grab his shirt and pull him down to kiss her. Wouldn't that be fun? Just think of the ridiculous look of surprise he'd get on his face; he'd never suspect it of her...

And then she realizes her hands are lifting of their own accord, and she snatches them away like Shikamaru's on fire.

But, as we were saying, it just so happens that Shikamaru and Temari are taking a walk one day. This happens to be one of their worse days; Shikamaru caught himself staring at Temari when she wasn't looking - _three times_ \- and has started to wonder what's wrong with him. Temari stood close enough to Shikamaru the entire day that their hands would have brushed against each other, if Shikamaru ever took his hands out of his pockets, and she knows it wasn't an accident.

They aren't speaking to each other, naturally. Just walking down the same road, taking shy glances at one another every so often - it's all very casual.

Walking in the opposite direction - right towards our "happy couple" - are Neji and Tenten.

Now, these two are an interesting pair as well. Tenten happens to have a crush on Neji, has for ages, as any straight girl (or gay boy) from her graduating class at the Academy does.

Still, she doesn't let her feelings control her entire life; Tenten wants to become a great kunoichi. Legendary, if she can, but she'll settle for living to old age. For a ninja, that in itself says a lot for your talent.

Of course, to become a great kunoichi, one must train, and take on many missions. Tenten trains and completes missions on a team with Might Guy, Rock Lee, and Hyuuga Neji - all very enthusiastic and powerful ninja, which assures her long practices and difficult challenges. She has never been able to beat Neji a full two out of three spars in a day.

This is not to say that Tenten is weak; on the contrary, she is a very talented weapons user. It just happens that Neji is stronger, because he is a genius, and a Hyuuga.

This title - being a "genius Hyuuga" - hangs over Neji's head constantly. He overhears whispers of what a shame it is that he has to cover his forehead, that such a strong Hyuuga can never become head of the clan.

The two comments are not unrelated. Neji covers his forehead to hide the mark of the Hyuuga Branch Family's Curse Seal, used to protect the Byakugan - his unique eyes - from being stolen and studied by foreign ninja. As a member of the Branch Family, Neji has been dubbed "lower" than the Main Family, and cannot carry on the true family name.

For many years, this Curse - and his father's death - formed a heavy grudge against the Main Family, which Neji took out on the Hyuuga heir, his cousin Hinata. This nearly brought about her death, and a later fight against Uzumaki Naruto showed Neji the error of his ways. A pleading argument by the head of the clan, Hyuuga Hiashi, further cemented Neji's resolve to give up his grudge. He now has only one goal - to become strong enough to never lose.

And, while he is close to never losing, Tenten and Lee always manage to knock him down a peg or two with an unexpected attack.

Because of the strange... connection Guy-sensei and Lee share, Neji and Tenten are frequently paired off to train together while the two Green Beasts train using pure taijutsu. At first embarrassing for Tenten and an inconvenience to Neji, the two quickly realized that the arrangement was a blessing, an escape from Guy-sensei's eccentricities.

Not to mention the good company.

On the day in question, Neji has realized something both shocking and horrifying; he is in love with Tenten.

He honestly doesn't know when it started - was it when he first noticed the physical differences becoming evident between them and used the Byakugan to look closer, was it when he started to walk her home every day after training, was it when he started searching every room he entered for a familiar dango-shaped hairstyle - but he came upon the truth during training, of all the unromantic places.

He was practicing a new use of the _kaiten_ \- using the technique to protect a client on a mission instead of Neji himself - when it backfired miserably.

Tenten, as per normal practice, had pulled scrolls out of her assorted bags and pockets, summoned countless throwing weapons, and directed them from all angles with strands of chakra. Neji had protected his client - one of Lee's worn practice poles - well, but then Tenten had moved in for closer combat.

Pulling out a bo, she had swept over Neji's head for a downward strike, but was caught in the chakra spiral of the _kaiten_. The chakra had picked her up bodily, spun her in a wide circle, and thrown her soundly at a tree trunk when Neji ended the attack, seeing his mistake. Tenten's back smacked loudly against the tree trunk, to Neji's horror. He rushed to make sure she hadn't been hurt.

Her back was badly bruised, and she had trouble standing, let alone continuing to train. Tenten brushed off Neji's apologizes as he helped her pick up her dropped scrolls and weapons. Just so long as he helps her get home, she'll call it even.

This is easier said than done. The bruising makes it more difficult for Tenten to walk than she expected, and she has to lean on Neji the entire trip. Making it difficult for him to ignore the curves that have been bothering him since the start of puberty.

This... physical attraction, on top of his almost-too-natural fear for her safety confirms for Neji that, if he _isn't_ in love, he is very, _very_ close.

This worries him. Not because of a possible rejection - Neji is perceptive as a general rule, he knows how Tenten feels about him - but because, being so high-ranked within the Branch Family, he is almost guaranteed to have an arranged marriage, unless he can find someone worthy before that time.

Tenten is a second-generation immigrant from a distant country, with no name or inherited talent to pass on to her children. The Clan Council would never approve of her.

Neji hates himself for loving Tenten, because she is an impossible wife for him, and he could never hope to lead her on in a relationship guaranteed to be temporary. He cares about her too much, even just as a friend and teammate.

So, with Tenten resting her head on his shoulder (bringing a bit of a flush to both their cheeks), Neji decides that if he is going to break Tenten's heart, it might as well be before he can hurt either of them any further. It will be awkward for a while, but he knows that they can keep their relationship on this level.

Now, who is he going to choose? Someone the council would approve of - someone with power, social standing, and a connection or ability to pass to their children. But no dojutsu, or other eye-related abilities; that would defeat the purpose of this entire venture.

It is at this moment that he spots Shikamaru and Temari, decidedly ignoring one another. An idea comes to his mind. The sister to the Kazekage. A jounin. Connections to two villages.

And Shikamaru... will be good for Tenten. He will respect her straightforwardness, and she will appreciate the attention he can give her, and the freedom he will let her have.

Neji rationalizes the decision in a split-second, and moves forward without another thought on the subject. He makes sure Tenten can stand, and approaches the Sand kunoichi.

"Temari," he says. "I have something I want to say to you."

"Yes?"

Neji cups her chin in his hand and kisses her. The surprise in her eyes doesn't come close to the hurt and shock in Tenten's or Shikamaru's.

Neji pulls back and whispers something in Temari's ear. Her eyes widen in comprehension, and she glances reflexively at Shikamaru, as if to gauge his opinion.

He is supporting Tenten, who put too much weight on her bad leg and nearly fell.

Temari's eyes soften in acceptance, and she nods. Neji doesn't smile, he doesn't frown. He takes Temari's hand in his, laces their fingers together, and walks toward the Hyuuga Manor. Temari doesn't trail after him or walk ahead of him; they are equal.

Shikamaru sees the unconscious symbolism of the gesture and groan. He, who always let Temari dominate, had just let her slip through his fingers. Tenten had done the same with Neji. He pulled Tenten's arm over his shoulder for better support, choosing to ignore her lingering stare at the dark-haired boy leaving her behind.

Walking her to the hospital, Shikamaru reflects. He's almost jealous of Neji - the guy is far more assertive than Shikamaru is, and was able to take what Shikamaru was unwilling to admit he wanted. Obviously, there was some underlying reason for Neji to leave behind Tenten - because it is clear that she was being left behind, not forgotten in Neji's haste - but that can be left until she had gotten over the shock.

Until then, Shikamaru sighs, and squeezes Tenten's shoulder reassuringly.

She leans her head against his cheek and whimpers quietly.


End file.
